Starting Rumors
by BMeph
Summary: Maybe living with Aoi is rubbing off on her, but Nao has heard a rumor that the Dynamic Duo hasn't - and it's about Chie! Who has the hots for Harada - in the story, that is?
1. Chapter 1: How Rumors Start

A/N: I hope this one doesn't disappoint you guys. It starts off slow, but it gets to a finish soon enough. Think of it as extra teasing.

Anyway, Enjoy!

I'd especially like reviews, since it's written in three parts, but this chapter has the first two parts. Should I have just made it into one? Split it into three? Fleshed it out into a bigger story, or pare it down?

Read it, then you tell me...

Starting Rumors - A MaiHiME fanfic

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><p>"Oh, and did you hear the latest one about Tate?"<br>"What, are he and Mai-chan breaking up again?"  
>"Probably, that would explain what I heard about him..."<br>"So, wait, they're not breaking up, but they might...was Yuuichi-kun looking at some other girl?"  
>Nao snorted. "I'll grant ya he is dumb, but he's not stupid. Plus, Mai's boobs aren't geting any smaller, so...no."<br>"So why don't you just tell me, and we can both tell Chie about it?"

Aoi finished locking the front door, and the two girls went down the stairs, to meet said third for the short walk to homeroom. Nao laughed  
>in a manner both carefree, sweet, and promising of the most dreadful mischief.<p>

"Maybe Chie-sempai already knows, besides, I've heard another rumor, and I wanna see if -"  
>"See what, Nao-chan?" Harada interrupted, slipping into the mix as they continued downstairs.<br>"'Nao-chan' says she knows something about Yuuichi-kun, which she won't tell me about. And,"  
>she continued archly, "she called you 'Chie-sempai'. she never calls me 'Aoi-sempai'. You're so mean, Nao-chan!"<br>"What? I let you borrow my stuff and live, that's downright charity for me. No pictures of you in your pyjamas, or in the shower...well except for that time Chie-"  
>"Rumors about Tate, you say? You mean about how he's dropping out of being the Kendo club manager,<br>so he can desperately try to save the doomed romance between him and Mai-chan?"  
>Nao snorted. "Got it in one. See, Aoi, told ya she'd already know."<br>"Yeah, but if you'd told me, I could have told you that _I_ already knew, that one's almost a week old!  
>Also, you still don't call me 'sempai'."<br>"Aw, don't frown, Aoi-chan, you'll get wrinkles. Besides, we know Nao-chan's just teasing you."  
>"I wish Nao would tease you instead."<br>"Come to think of it, you don't tease me nearly as much as you do Aoi."  
>"That's 'cause we're roommies, and live in each others' back pockets. Which also means that you get to start up all sorts of rumors about <em>me<em>!"  
>"Those weren't rumors, every account was independently verified," Chie declared. As much as she loved gossip - and almost no one loves gossip like Ms. Harada - verified gossip is ten times better.<br>"And still, I let you live. I'm a virtual Kuroyanage (a well-known japanese philanthropist)."  
>"Nao-chan said she had heard another rumor - maybe it's something <em>we<em> heard _two_ weeks ago."  
>"Aoi-chan, no wrinkles! Maybe Nao-chan's heard a rumor of romance in the air."<br>"As a matter of fact, I have heard just that thing."

Nao nudged Aoi gently in the side and gave her a friendly wink. Aoi immediately suspected Nao of being up to something...which is like "suspecting" it might rain in the summer. Aoi watched warily as Nao gracefully twirled around the pair and placed a hand on Chie's arm.

"I heard that someone's after _you_, Chie."

* * *

><p>The next few classes went by like a dream, or a nightmare for some. After Nao planted her bombshell<br>and ran for cover, Aoi naturally wanted to know all the details on Chie's admirer. Only...Chie was stumped,  
>and had no clue what Nao was talking about. She scrambled to reassure Aoi that if she knew anything she'd<br>be the first to tell all about it, but didn't stop Aoi from feeling hurt. Hurt and insulted. Hurt, insulted  
>and mystified. Hurt, insulted, mystified and frustrated.<p>

Again, she demanded to know what her best friend had been keeping from her, and why, only to be shushed by  
>the teacher, and eventually put outside holding their books up, a member of the now-Kukikawa Executive Team<br>making sure they didn't cheat...or argue in more than harsh whispers. Chie in turn, demanded that Aoi give  
>up who could have possibly talked to Nao of all people, before giving either of them the crucial details.<br>Chie risked her livelihood, and sent off some quick texts in second class, curious to see who might want to  
>Fortunately, the teacher was too distracted by Aoi (also in her class) freaking out more visibly, so Chie's<br>lifeline, AKA cellphone, was safe. Unfortunately, all her inquiries did was give her more people abuzz with  
>the new rumor, looking for an answer themselves from the Queen of Dirt. It seemed that the having the latest<br>rumor being about the biggest rumor-mogerer in school was an irresistable combination.

Aoi wondered what was going on in her life. Chie was keeping secrets from her...or was she? Before today,  
>Aoi would have confidently said that Chie Harada wasn't capable of keeping secrets; it was just too fun<br>to share whatever news she'd found with someone else who could appreciate it. Maybe it was just Nao's way  
>of having fun at their expense; while typical behavior for Nao, she'd known the first-year long enough to<br>know that she wouldn't want to be pestered by folks for more info on Chie's wannabe lover if she didn't  
>have to be. On the other hand, would she expect the girls to keep it to themselves, for fear of losing<br>face at knowing the best gossip? Determined to get to the bottom of it, Aoi started a few rumors of her  
>own, to make sure that by the time lunch came around, Nao would also be enjoying the attention of those<br>trying to get answers.

Nao, meanwhile, was living high on the hog. She'd ask two or three girls in class about the rumor, and  
>fifteen minutes later, every girl was either sending a text, getting a text, or reading a text about it.<br>The teacher was maybe two hard shoves away from a nervous breakdown, and two-thirds of the boys were either  
>trying to find out why all of the girls were so distracted, or making sure their own girlfriends weren't<br>going to "the other team". Already, the teacher had called on Nao twice, and she'd - loudly! - given him correct  
>answers, the second time in song. She was working on a way to put an answer in verse, when Mai's little<br>brother Takumi asked her what was going on.

She smiled at him, and giggled.

Not even her usual "you better hope your ninja girlfriend can make you disappear because I'm gonna  
>make you SUFFER" sneer, but a sweet, warm, beautiful smile.<p>

Not even seeing his sister plummeting to ground, sheathed in flames, was as scary-looking as a happy Nao.  
>He leaned over to Akira, whispering in her ear, "get ready for something, Nao's giggling." Almost by magic,<br>two desks started moving away from Nao, causing others to follow suit, more noisily, which only distracted  
>the teacher more. Lucky for everyone, the bell rang for lunch, and the room exploded in speculations, from<br>Chie dating Shizuru and Natsuki, at the same time, to Nao blackmailing Chie into not dating Aoi. She  
>laughed out loud at that one, if only for the idea that after living together for so long, folks could<br>imagine her having something worthy of blackmail, that Aoi and Chie wouldn't know about already.

At lunch, the three girls got together and compared notes. Chie brought up the rumor about her being  
>involved with everyone from former just-graduated students, to some students still on the middle school track.<p>

"Chie-sempai, you are such a slut! How do you even find time to know what else is going on, with all of your  
>skirt- and trouser-chasing?" Chie laughed at Nao's silly remark, as did they all, but something, somewhere<br>at the back of Chie's head was saying something was up.  
>"Well, I can't love'em and leave'em like Nao-chan does," Chie teased back, as she dunked a rice ball in<br>what Nao called "ShizNat" sauce. It was made from ketchup - red, like Fujino's eyes - and wasabi - green, like  
>Kuga's. It had more of a bite than regular cocktail sauce, and Chie liked her food the way she liked her gossip;<br>the spicier the better.

Nao plucked a rice ball from Chie's bento as a "tax" for using her sauce - because of that, Mikoto had only  
>tried "ShizNat" sauce once - and gave it a good dunk, before replying, "If I loved'em, I wouldn't leave'em."<p>

There it was again, that feeling Chie had that she was missing something. Then she noticed, before she poked  
>it through her pretty pink coral lips, that Nao had gotten a rice ball that Chie had already bitten into, thus<br>giving Nao an indirect kiss. Without thinking about it, Chie asked,

"Nao, are you flirting with me?"

For a second or two, everyone was quiet, before Nao giggled. "Do you have no shame, Chie? Yes, I was flirting  
>with you, I want to be like the rumors say half of the school body is, past and present. Hee-hee, 'student body,'<br>get it?" Nao laughed again, and like earlier in class, it wasn't a digging laugh, but a laugh filled with delight.  
>It would put a smile on the face of anyone hearing it, until they saw it was coming from Nao, anyway. Akira saw<br>who it was coming from, and quickly grabbed Takumi before vanishing around the corner. Then a second or two later,  
>the kunoichi grabbed Takumi's cooking up, and vanished again.<p>

"Damn right you better run," Nao called after the couple. "Chie-sempai might be coming for you next!"  
>"Maybe I'll be coming after you, Nao-chan," Chie said, a mischievous twinkle her eye as she dunked another rice<br>ball in the spicy sauce.  
>"Then I'm glad I can rely on Aoi-sempai for a chaperone, ne?"<br>"Hey, don't drag me into this, that's the way unfounded rumors start!"  
>"Really, Aoi-chan? What have you heard?"<br>"Well,..."

Aoi started in on a few of the massive avalance of wild stories spreading across campus, including a few not  
>related to her, Chie or Nao. Those ones were especially interesting, but all the while, there was still that<br>little voice in the back of Chie's head. This time, the voice voice was asking a question, instead of sounding  
>a warning:<p>

"Nao-chan _was_ just teasing me then, not flirting, right? And I was just teasing too, not flirting back...right?"

Right?


	2. Chapter 2: How Rumors Die

A/N: Okay, I know, It's cute and all, but so far, all we've seen has been K+, T at most.  
>So, why is there a big ol' M on this thang?<p>

Because I'm a Pervert, that's why!  
>Also, I decided to put the ending as a second chapter because I like to write in bursts.<p>

Just to reassure, this is likely going to end much closer to a "T" than an "MA", but it's  
>still going to be "M" rated...I think.<p>

So, let the Smexity Ensue!

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><p>Starting Rumors - How Rumors Die<p>

A week later, and the three girls are lounging around still in school uniforms, and still discussing the rumor about someone liking Chie:

"So, you haven't gotten any notes, Chi-chan, no more hints?"

"No mysterious gifts, or stuttering tongue-tied boys - or girls - _staring_ at you for no reason?"

"No, Nao, and no, Aoi, I haven't seen or heard anything more, nothing but everyone else wondering who it is, and asking me about it.  
>You're teasing me again, aren't you, Nao-chan; you can quit staring at me."<p>

"Yeah, I know I _can_, but maybe I _want_ to stare at you. Then I'll see how this mystery admirer of yours sees…"

"Or maybe you're just trying to stir up trouble, Nao."

"I don't have to try to stir up trouble, Aoi, I _am_ trouble!"

"You said it, not me."

"You know, speaking of trouble, that's one thing that troubling me about this. So someone's my admirer, someone that's really close to Aoi-chan too, and for a long time. So it's someone here at school, and who's still at school."

"Yes, and it's got to be someone that's done something special this year, too."

"Oh, why's that, Aoi?"

"Well, why make the declaration now, and not last year, or next year, unless something special happened?"

"We, uh, we also know something else – that whoever it is, really knows me well."

"Oh, because…"

"Oh! Because starting a rumor, instead of a straight-out declaration is just the kind of thing that Chi-chan likes, isn't it?"

"Yeah, yes it is."

For a couple of seconds, all three were quiet, thinking on the last point. Then the roommates both looked from Chie to each other, and then back to her.

"Oh, my God, it worked! That's so cute! Look, Nao-chan, this may be the only time you ever see Chi-chan blush."

"Chie is blushing, and it is kind of cute. Maybe I should stare some more…"

"…"

"Yep, I should definitely stare some more, I didn't know you had it in you-"

"I didn't know _you_ had it in _you_, Nao-chan."

"Me, what do I have in me?"

"Love."

Aoi said it quietly, more so since her hand was covering her mouth, although her widening doe-like eyes would suggest she could have said it louder. Chie looked at her friend askance, a small frown on her face, then followed Aoi's near-spastic pointing…to Nao. Nao was no longer staring, just looking, but when Chie turned to her, she gave a little nod, and the most beautiful sweet smile spread across her face, even as Chie's mouth and eyes got bigger and bigger.

"It's…you? You're my admirer, Nao?"

"It's me."

"Of course it's you, you're the one who came up with all of the rumors! You're the one who said Chie had an admirer! You're the one who said that it was someone close to me, duh, you're my roommate, and second-best friend. You're the one who said it's been going on for over a year, it's always been you!"

"And you never asked me the one question that would have given it up immediately. I'm disappointed, 'Aoi-sempai'."

"What, which ques-"

"'Where did you hear the rumor from, Nao?' That's the question, isn't it, Nao…-chan."

"Got it in one."

"Well-well-well, our little Nao isn't so little any more. Is _that_ the change Aoi was talking about," Chie pointed to Nao's skirt, the same taupe – the same uniform – they all had on.

"Yeah, I figured, that now that I was in high school with you two, that it was time to step up my game. So I did."

"And yet you did it in that manipulative, bitchy way that's pure Nao."

"Chie!"

"No, she's right, Aoi. It was manipulative, and I was being a bitch." She shrugged. "It's who I am. At least I'm not boring."

"You bitch." Chie shoved Nao in the shoulder, not too effective since Nao was sitting curled up in the other corner of the sofa.

"Yes, I am!" Nao grinned back saucily.

"Well, fuck you and your manipulative string-pulling!"

"You first."

"Okay!"

Chie grabbed Nao at the waist and the back of the head, and as much pulled herself onto Nao, as pulled Nao to her. Nao's hands went up at first, then curled as her attention went to her lips, finally settling at Chie's shoulder and back. Soon, Nao's hand opened up and walked down Chie's back like a spider, then clenched hard on Chie's bottom, causing her to grunt and arch her back.

Aoi felt like she was on one of those carnival rides, being tossed around from one side to the other. Nao…likes Chie? Wait, Nao actually _likes_ someone? And Chie likes her back…a _lot_. And…oh, oh my, that's one long kiss! Oh, there go Nao's fingers under Chie's skirt, and they're moaning…and…oh, thank God, they're breaking for air. It never even occurred to Aoi to look away; not only was their passion too intense to deny, but she might miss something important! She loved Chie like a sister and even knew she was cute, but until that kiss she hadn't thought of how…passionate…Chie was about things. Here before her was undeniable proof…which, now that she thought about it, may not even make a difference.

"Wow. That's some kiss!"

"Yeah, well when I kiss'em, they stay kissed."

"Oh, and what else do they stay when you do it?"

"Oh, you know, 'this-and-that'."

"Maybe we should test that–"

"Please say you're going to your room, Nao. You two need a room."

The two girls slowly turned their heads towards Aoi, only looking at her when Chie was forced to break eye contact. Even then, Nao kept eyeing Chie's jawline, and tender, vulnerable earlobe.

"Oh, are you still here, Aoi?"

"I live here, you know!"

"Maybe…maybe you should…be telling everyone…that you…found who Chie's lover is." Chie growled her approval as Nao kept interrupting herself with nibbles on Chie's neck.

"Are you kidding? No one would believe it's _you_, Nao, I hardly believe it myself, and I'm watching you two make out!"

"They will if you – hee-hee – ah, tell them, Aoi."

"Yeah, get the fuck out already! I'm about to screw your best friend, Aoi, and I don't want a studio audience!"

"Yeah, and I'm gonna fuck your roommate blind, Aoi-chan. Really, I think you should go, unless want to take pictures?"

"Uh, no thanks. You two do make a cute couple, and I'm happy for you…but I don't want to participate any more than I already have." Aoi got up from and moved behind her chair, headed towards the suite door, still watching the happy couple, happily coupling. "Uh, maybe I'll go see if Mai-chan and Yuu-kun are gonna make…hey! Go in your room, Nao-chan! I do not want to blush every time someone sits on that couch! Go!"

Chie and Nao got off the couch – eventually – still kissing, and removing each other's vests. Nao's came off first, because Chie kept putting Nao's hand back on her ass, and every time Nao squeezed, Chie's tongue stuck out….

Aoi had a nice chat with Mai and Mikoto. She tried almost desperately to convince Mai that Nao was Chie's lover, but as she'd mentioned before, no one believed her. Ironic that Aoi having discovered that the rumor, while completely made up, was also completely true, but the more she tried to convince people of it, the more they believed that she had simply given up. No one had a problem with believing what the couple caught after-hours in the music room were really practicing, so….

Nao started calling Aoi 'sempai' in public, too, usually whenever she'd said to call her 'chan'. Nao would say something about how it wouldn't "be polite," and then laugh her normal, evil laugh. She did that a lot, usually when planning something "romantic" with Chie-chan. Sometimes, though, sometimes Nao would laugh like a normal, happy girl in love, and those times Aoi couldn't help but laugh with her….

And so the rumor died.


End file.
